June 23, 2026, 2:30 p.m.
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Housing, Homelessness and Parks
Andria Tupola, Chair
Augie Tulba, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: Bill 19 (2026) — RELATING TO THE BUILDING CODE
Aloha Chair Tupola, Vice Chair Tulba and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 19 (2026), which would allow the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting to issue temporary certificates of occupancy in certain circumstances.
This system would address situations in which a building is ready for habitation but not complete, the homebuilder has yet to make improvements to the property unrelated to the building itself or the city is simply slow in inspecting the building or issuing a final certificate of occupancy.
Honolulu needs bills such as this to help get new housing approved and built. A 2024 Hawaii Housing Planning study estimated that Honolulu needs 27,710 new units built between 2023 and 2027 to meet demand,[1] and permitting delays are a major reason Hawaii remains in a housing crisis.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St. #508 | Honolulu, HI 96813 | 808-864-1776 | info@grassrootinstitute.org
[1] “Hawaii Housing Planning Study 2024,” prepared by SMS Research and Marketing Services, Inc., FSR Consulting LLC and Ward Research, Inc. for the Hawai’i Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Table 39A, p. 124.
